Electrolysis appliance

Abstract

In an electrolysis appliance or a reversible fuel cell which can be operated optionally as a fuel cell or as an electrolysis appliance, a gas reservoir is in the form of a one-piece or two-piece, tubular hollow body. The gas reservoir is open at the top and is split into a reservoir area and an expansion area by a separating plug having an immersion tube which passes through it and points downward. In a region of the reservoir area, the gas reservoirs are each fitted directly to the end plates, or are formed integrally with them. Each of the half-cells are connected to a respective reservoir area and to the electrolyte located in it via channels in the end plate and openings in the respective gas reservoir. The electrolysis appliances or fuel cells which are configured to have an integrated gas reservoir formed in such a way are strong and sturdy, are configured to save space, are easy to handle and can be produced at low cost.

We claim:  
     
       1. An electrolysis appliance, comprising: 
       at least one electrolysis cell for holding an electrolyte and having two opposite outer faces, said electrolysis cell further having a membrane splitting said electrolysis cell into two half-cells, one of said two half-cells being an anode and another of said two half-cells being a cathode;  
       end plates bounding said two opposite outer faces of said electrolysis cell;  
       two gas reservoirs for temporary storing and passing on gases produced to a fuel cell, each of said gas reservoirs being a hollow body and connected to said two half-cells, said gas reservoirs each having a separator splitting each of said gas reservoirs into a reservoir area for holding the electrolyte and an expansion area, each of said gas reservoirs fitted directly to a respective one of said end plates in a region of said reservoir area; and  
       an immersion tube held in said separator of each of said gas reservoirs and projecting into said reservoir area.  
     
     
       2. The electrolysis appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein said hollow body is a two-piece hollow body split in a region of said separator. 
     
     
       3. The electrolysis appliance according to  claim 2 , wherein said expansion area is one piece of said two-piece hollow body and is fitted to said separator. 
     
     
       4. The electrolysis appliance according to  claim 2 , wherein said expansion area and said immersion tube are formed as an integral unit and said expansion area is held in said separator by said immersion tube integrally formed in said expansion area. 
     
     
       5. The electrolysis appliance according to  claim 2 , wherein said two-piece hollow body has a tubular shape. 
     
     
       6. The electrolysis appliance according to  claim 5 , wherein said separator for splitting each of said gas reservoirs is an elastic separating plug. 
     
     
       7. The electrolysis appliance according to  claim 6 , including a gas outlet having an opening formed therein disposed in said reservoir area underneath said elastic separating plug to form an outlet from said reservoir area. 
     
     
       8. The electrolysis appliance according to  claim 6 , wherein said elastic separating plug has a hole formed therein, and including a gas outlet tube held in said hole in said separating plug and passing upward through said expansion area for forming a gas outlet from said reservoir area. 
     
     
       9. The electrolysis appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said gas reservoirs and a respective one of said end plates are formed as an integral component resulting in a first integral component and a second integral component, and including threaded bolts for bracing said first integral component to said second integral component disposed opposite to said first integral component. 
     
     
       10. The electrolysis appliance according to  claim 1 , including electrical conductors connected to said electrolysis cell.